Protection
by Insert a Catchy Penname Here
Summary: How can they protect their kids from the dangers of the Clue Hunt?
1. Toddler years

Protection

Author Note: Another new story! And I KNOW these guys are family. So what? LOL enjoy!

Dan Cahill sighed as he laid down on his bed, his spine aching from a long day on the job. Nothing could compare to nine years ago. Nine years. The second digit in the number of clues he and his big sister had found. It was so amazing and thrilling and dangerous…he missed it, but he wouldn't go back and do it all over now. He was twenty now and sore and settling down now. He was ready to take care of his own family.

He didn't want to expose the kids to the danger of the Cahills. It had been so much to do it on him, so putting them through it…he couldn't let that happen. He had to protect them like a good father. He'd do it well, like his father. But he'd work on avoiding murder by a fire and succeed.

"Daniel," a familiar voice spoke, and his eyes rose to look at her, "I could use some help in here." She rolled her eyes at his guilty look and smiled.

Natalie.

He'd always had a thing for her. She was kick-butt priss who was confident and sweet and could stand up to "The Devil Women". He'd fallen for her after the hunt was over, and she had gone into MEGA-flirt tease mode. After six years, he'd proposed. Amy thought he'd lost his marbles when he did so at seventeen, but whatever. She was such a worrier.

Natalie, of course, said yes.

Now they had a family themselves. It was a start, at least. Natalie had decided she loved kids and wanted to have a lot like the two, so…yeah. He was interested where this was going, exactly. Not that he minded, of course.

"Sorry, Natie," he used her nickname, "help me up."

Rolling her eyes again, she offered her dainty, yet strong, hand. He was pulled up before he trotted beside her into their kitchen. They got their own place a year into their marriage, which was a country home near the outskirts of the town. They made their lives there in two years now with their family. It had four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a wide layout. It was brightly colored and warm and homey, and he loved it as much as he loved Grace's old mansion.

"Daniel!" a high pitched voice squealed as soon as their shadows hit the room.

Dan rolled his eyes and smiled weakly at his young daughter, Danielle Joanna, or DJ. Her dark brunette hair bounced in her pigtails as she jiggled, reaching toward her father. He had zero idea why she insisted on calling him 'Daniel' like her mother, but whatever. He lifted the three year old out of her high chair and blew air under her blue blouse. She giggled loudly and wrapped her arms around his neck to escape his tickling.

"Silly boy," Natalie laughed at him before scooping up their two year old daughter, Nichole. Her hair that matched Dan's bounced in her ponytail, held with a diamond clip, as her eyes that she got from her mom sparkled.

"Shiny!" she fondly pulled at the diamond necklace her mom wore. It was her favorite, considering it twinkled in the light.

Chuckling at this, she straightened her pink blouse and smoothed her yellow skirt, sending glitter to the tile. The toddler felt of the wife of her father's rounding stomach fondly and gently.

"Sister?" she inquired.

"We'll found out tomorrow, sweetheart," the women kissed her forehead gently.

"Daniel!" DJ shrieked as her father tickled her in the stomach as he laid her on the table.

"No, no, no," he kept tickling under her arms, "you gotta' call me Daddy."

"Never!" she burst into more giggling as he blew air into her stomach.

"Are you sure?" he kept it up and went to her feet, stirring another shriek.

"Okay, Daddy!" she giggled madly.

"Was that so hard?" the male picked her up by the ankles and plopped her on the couch, blowing air under her shirt once more.

"Yes," she pushed his face away, "stop it!"

"Silly girl," she was too much like him. He sat her in his lap and cradled her in his arms, stroking her air.

Sighing, she curled up and closed her eyes. Natalie entered with Nichole in her arms, asleep like her big sister.

"I excited for the baby," the women smiled.

"So am I, but.." he sighed worriedly, "I don't want them near the others. They're dangerous, and they are so innocent.."

"But they are strong," his wife kissed him, "I understand, but the Hunt is over. So stop worrying."

"Fine," he nodded, kissing her again, "come on, let's get some sleep. Innocent or not, they're a few handfuls."

Protection. They didn't know how much they would need it. Now more than ever.


	2. Crumpled Yellow Note

Protection 2

Author Note: Somebody please review!

"School sucks," fourteen year old DJ grumbled, flopping back on her bunk.

"You said it," thirteen year old Nichole pouted with her, "they won't let me do my nails or anything!"

These two sisters were best friends and had a common enemy. But DJ was more like Dan as Nichole was like Natalie, and they still fought each other hard when they did fight. But they shared a room and a lot of the same life, so for the most part they could get by without strangling eachother.

"School is bad, but…maybe not so bad," eleven year old Skylar spoke from the doorway, studying her hands.

"Maybe to you," DJ went over and picked her up, spinning her around. Nichole gave her a sisterly kiss, and the preteen giggled a bit.

Skylar was the youngest of the family now. Well, in about two months, that was going to change. Emily was due pretty soon, but the eleven year old was trying to hold onto being the baby as long as she could. She already felt jealous of the coming baby. Nichole had told her numorous times it was tough sometimes, not being babied. The preteen just couldn't think of whatever good there was, too. She knew that she was DJ's whole world, but when Emily came along...then what? Nichole loved her, too. They were, like, the best big sisters ever. But she'd miss how DJ would lock her in her room and press and tickle her until she said whatever was on her mind.

Nichole would be fine, though. She was sure of that.

"Ah, well...you know," the brunette haired, carmel eyed girl shrugged a response to her oldest sister.

"Hey, kids," Dan and Natalie walked in out of the thin air.

"Daddy!" Skylar was so much like her mother, but at the same time her and Dan had the special bond. She threw her arms around his neck, demanding he pick her up.

"Oooh, your nails are fab," Nichole gushed over her mother's perfect nails.

"And yours are very colorful," Natalie smiled at the rainbow colored polish on her daughter's nails.

"Hey, what about me?" DJ whined, wanting some attention from her parents, "Daniel!"

"Seriously?" Dan rolled his eyes and poked her stomach, "is Daddy really that hard to say?"

"Yes," she replied, "we've had this discussion before, Daniel!"

"I like Daddy," DJ was cool and EPIC, but Skylar was always competing for their father's attention.

"Don't worry, there's plenty of me for everyone," he shifted his current youngest daughter to one arm and hefted DJ in the other, setting her down and hugging both, "you two are so jealous of each other."

"Really? Your just now figuring this out?" DJ rolled her eyes.

"Watch your mouth, Dainelle Jonna," he tapped her lips, and she backed down a little.

"Yeah!" the preteen smiled smugly. Being the baby, she didn't get in trouble much.

"That goes for you too, young lady," he set her on the bottom bunk and poked her stomach playfully.

"Oh!" Natalie gasped a little, "the baby just kicked."

Jealously panged at the current baby of the family's heart. Already Emily was trying to get attention from him. Well, she'd just have to make sure things didn't change between the two. Not like with Nichole.

"Hey, DJ? Can I talk to you alone?" Nichole felt inside her pocket and suddenly looked nervous.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure I don't want to know," Dan walked out immeditley.

"I..." Natalie suddenly looked green, "never mind." She then rushed out for the bathroom.

"What about me?" Skylar put her hands on her hips, "I can handle it!"

"Sorry, Sky," Nichole steered her out of the door and shut it.

Narrowing her eyes, she pressed her ear against the door and looked in the keyhole. Nichole suddenly pulled out a crumpled piece of paper of her pocket, and DJ's eyes widened when she read it. Suddenly, she pulled out a note herself that was just like it. The two stared at each other, trembling a little.

"What could this mean?" Nichole asked.

"I wish I could say," DJ gulped, "I'm thinking bad." She started for the door, and the youngest sister dashed to her room.

She closed her door quick, locking it and sinking to the ground, leaning against it. What were they hiding? And what did the notes say? Being the baby was starting not to look so good.

Her eyes widened at her bed. There, sitting in the center, was a crumpled yellow note just like her sisters. Grabbing it ,she read and gulped.

_Your number three. Your going under. And you better be ready for the most life-threatening adventure of your little life._


	3. Pizza Night

Protection 3

Skylar wasn't eating her super, which was a sign that was seriously, seriously wrong.

"I thought you liked pizza," Dan commented as he dug in with her big sisters. Natalie was getting sick in the bathroom again, as usaul.

"I do, but...I'm just not hungry," she was a horrible lier, and they all thought back to the time she ate pizza when she was barfing every five minutes.

"You can tell us anything," Dan promised, surprised she wouldn't tell any of them.

"I.." she sighed and took a slice, "I just suddenly got really hungry." She crammed it in her mouth to avoid more talking.

Locking eyes with Nichole for only a second, DJ walked over to her and picked her up by the wrists. They drug her up the stairs and into their room, locking the door.

"Now spill," DJ crossed her arms, giving her a stern look.

"No," she made a bolt for the door, but Nichole grabbed her back and pinned her down onto her bed, "fine."

She pulled out the note and thrust it into their faces, shaking it.

"I spied!" she confessed, "and before you chew me out...IT DOESN'T _matter _right now! We have to figure out what this means, right?"

They were rather surprised at her outburst. Then again, that_ was _what they were going to do. Closing her opening mouth, DJ pulled out her own note.

"Have you seen any weird handwriting like this?" she questioned her sibling.

"No," Nichole bit her lower lip, "but I feel like their closer than we think."

Suddenly, the window shattered. Instinctivly, Nichole rushed to the door and pulled at it. But it was bolted shut with an unseen force, and she panted as her throat ran dry.

"Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way," a girl about DJ's age came in through the window. She had dark red hair to her shoulders and black pits of Hades for her eyes.

"What are you?" DJ shielded her younger sisters quickly, knowing this was trouble.

"Name's Night," she replied, "sister of Danger and Heartlie. And you'll find out what our names mean unless you come with me."

Skylar could just barely make out the symbol on her sleeve...it was almost like the Holt's...


	4. Madrigal

Protection 4

"Ow...ow..." Nichole whimpered as she struggled against her bonds. Her hands were behind her back, and she was attached to a turned over chair. And it was NOT comforable.

"Toughen up," Danger, who had long black hair and eyes that matched Night's, snarled dangerously, "I swear, all Lucians are wimps."

"I heard that," DJ snarled as Heartlie, who was the identical twin of Danger, tied down her feet.

"You were supposed to," Night pulled a hair strand, and her eyes flashed murderously at this action, "now, this is how its going to work. Your going to tell us what you know about the formulea, you're going to make it, we're going to drink it, and then your going down for the last Clue so we can rule. Do all that and you _may _live."

"What are you talking about?" DJ demanded, "Clue? Formulea?"

"Ugh," Danger moaned, facing palming, "he never told her. Just like a Madrigal would."

Now, the three sisters who were caught knew all about their families. They knew about the Hunt and the formulea and how their father and his sister Amy were heros. Well, they all were, but yeah. DJ was playing it dumb, sly, just like a Lucian. Nichole was working on the lock while Skylar was paralyzed with fear.

"But just like a Thomas," Heartlie suddenly had the oldest girl by the throat and was digging in with razor fingers, "we know you know. We're spies too, you know. We've watched you and know just what we're up against."

Danger snatched Nichole's hands and pulled the two against their posts, which was agony and was breaking their arms. Night smiled smugly and ran her finger against Skylar's frozen face.

"Now, talk," she suddenly held up a pen, "we can steal, too."

Knowing their mother's background, the two assumed it was not a good toy. Both of them exchanged glances, like their father and aunt used to do silently. Nodding slowly, DJ went with the truth.

"We don't know the recipie," she kept her eyes on her sibling and her...ack..cousin, "but we know were it is. Let us show you."

"Well then," Night hefted up Skylar on her shoulder, "let's move, girls."

XXXXXXXXX

The two teenagers felt like total traitors as Danger tucked the recipie in her pocket. The ones that Dan had written down innocently enough. All the surrivers of the hunt had done that as a sign of trust. But apparently these girls weren't there at the signing.

What choice had they had? They needed their sister _alive_, they loved her so much. Now they watched, helpless, as Skylar slowly returned.

"No!" it was as if she'd been there while not being there. She scrambled up and tackled Danger to the ground, wrestling for the list.

"Sky!" the two frantically tried to free her, but Night and Heartlie pushed them to the ground and held knives to their throats.

"Look, Skylar," Danger pinned the younger girl down after quite a time, "this is my list. And if you don't back off...well, that beautiful face will never heal."

"And _you _look, Danger," she snatched the list away while talker, "this is _my _list. And if _you _don't back off...well, I'll just have to kill you."

That tore it.

Both girls with giving it their all, but the Thomas had the upper hand. She pinned the nine year old to the ground and picked up a broken piece of glass. Before she could destroy her face, though, the preteen shoved her off, sending her into the chest of drawers of the study. Books fell ontop of her head, but she just lunged back for more.

Nichole and DJ could only watch as both of them got wounded, and Night and Heartlie were the same issue. All four of them were silently rooting for 'their girl' as they tangoed. It was true that Danger was stronger, faster, better trained, and Nichole's age, but Skylar was younger, had more spirit, had more detirmanation, and had no problem with grabbing whatever body part was convientent.

And then Danger used her weapon.

Taking her oppent's hand, perfectly painted and nailed, she smashed it against a wall. That shattered the white perfectness of the nail part, but it didn't really hurt that bad. Unsure of what _that_ was supposed to do, she took advantage of her smug look and slammed her down.

The list was hers.

"She didn't freak..." the defeated girl gasped, finding it hard to breathe, "your not..."

"A Lucian," Night grabbed Nichole's wrists and break her bracelet. She screamed like crazy and crumpled.

Heartlie did the same to DJ, and she whimpered. The two sisters went to Heartlie's twin, helping her up and scowling dangerously.

"You die first," Heartlie helped her sister out of the window, "we'll be back, dog."

Skylar blinked in fear and confusion. She wasn't a Lucian? But how? Her dad had told her he was a Lucian, and so was her mom...

"Goodbye, Daughter of Dan," Night snarled before disappearing, "curse you, Madrigal."


	5. Crumpled Blue Paper

Protection 5

Author Note: You may put the pitchforks down and call off the search party. :P

_XXXXXXX_

"Sky..." Dan was knocking sharply on his currently youngest daughter's door, like he had been for the past half hour.

"Go AWAY!" she demanded bitterly, sobbing into her pillow harder to impress upon him she wasn't intersted in conversating.

"Skylar..." he sagged down, trudging away and collasping on his bed, "man, have I done it this time or what?"

"You have," Natalie sighed, "but it's my fault too. We should have told her."

"I didn't know the Thomas...I thought we'd...ahhhhh..." he face palmed and closed his tired, puffy eyes, "I'll just give her time."

XXXXXXX

"Hello, Sky," a familar voice spoke to her right above her, and the eleven year old bolted upright, surprised her sister had gotten in.

"Deej?" she slumped over, "I know, I know. But...how could they never...?"

"I understand, Sky," the fourteen year old sat beside her sibling, wrapping her arms around her trembling body, "just let it out."

She was so exhausted from her previous cries she didn't even protest. She sobbed now into her sister's arms, holding her just as tight as she was to her, sniffing and choking on her own spit. Finally, she'd calmed down enough to have a normal heartreate and was breathing near evenly. Pulling back, the teenager wiped her face and handed her some tissue.

"He probably just wanted to protect us," she offered a little explanation, "being a Madrigal is kinda bad, in case you've forgetton."

"I haven't...but..." she sniffed, her tears dried as she sniffed softly, "it took those Thomas telling us..."

"I know you're hurt, but...think of this way. You're special," DJ gave her a tight hug, "Nichole and I are just Lucians. You're part of the branch that restored peace in the entire Cahill family."

"Temparoly," the younger girl shook her head, "considering those three crazies...they want something from us."

"I agree..." the fourteen year old rose and helped her sister stand, "come on. I think it's about time we talk to Nichole about this. Something tells me we're going to need each other."

"Totally," the two siblings went to her and DJ's room, walking in and looking around, "Nichole?"

A piece of crumpled green paper was on her bed, and the eldest picked it up with trembling fingers.

_Oh, isn't this a drama? Look, let me cut to the chase. If you want to see Nichole alive again...come to Paris in two days and meet me under the Effial Tower. Terribly sorry I had to throw this on you so suddenly, But there is something we must discuss there, and...well, you're sister is just an ah...encouragment_

_~Allistar Oh_

Forgetting all previous anger to him, Skylar screamed, "DADDY!"


	6. With me

Protection 6

Skylar just stared out the window with a blank look on her face. She might not have been as close to Nichole as DJ might have been, but they were all still sisters. Of course she was worried to the point of a stony, pale silence. DJ wasn't much better, clutching her seatbelt until her knuckles turned white, and Dan had just as tight of a grip on the steering wheel.

He made it his _buincess _to get Paris is the said amount of time to save his daughter.

Natalie was too sick to come with them, but she called about every five minutes, making sure they were still alive. A couple of times they chose to ignore her, but that idea died when she left in a message in sobs.

"It's pretty," the words came off Skylar's lips, but none of them, including herself, really cared at the moment.

Despite their lack of awknowledgment of this, the Effial Tower truly _was _breath-taking. The frame glinted in the early afternoon sun, and tourists walked all around it, taking pictures and chatting casually. It was the picture of a perfect, magical day in Paris for them. For the small family, this was a living hell.

A dark, cloaked figure directly under the tower sure stuck out enough in the sea of light clothes and blonde/red hair. Dan insisted on going first, body tensed to fight just as was always been things dangerous occured. This reminded him all too much of the Clue Hunt...

The Clue Hunt.

But history wasn't going to repeat itself, right? I mean, it _couldn't_. He and Amy had got all the Clues and cleaned up the Madrigals. So what could possibly be happening? Whatever it was...it obiviously wasn't good.

"Allistar?" he cautiously inquired lowly, and his two daughters stood tensed beside him, ready to grab whatever was convient and use it for a deadly weapon.

"You people are really that stupid, are you not?" a voice that was too soprano to be Allistar's purred with a tint of an Itailian accent, and the overcoat was thrown easily off his body.

The man was clad in a white **Lulu**'s t-shirt and orange swimming trunks, which also looked a bit out of place. None the less, he gave them a whicked grin and tossed off his hat, allowing it to land in the street.

"I am not the Old Man," obviously he wasn't. His hair was all greased up and blacker than midnight, and his eyes were storm clouds that crackled in the distance, "I'm not part of your pathtiec little family. Just hand over the young one and we'll all be fine."

"Skylar?" DJ and Dan both looked to the eleven year old, who's eyes were wide from shock...and anger.

"What have you done to Nichole?" she fearlessly stepped up to him, her glare flashing warning to him, but he chose to ignore her.

"That's some very important information, little girl," his pale hand stroked her face, and she about bit off his fingers, "woo-hoo. Fiesty...I like that." He smile was movie star white, and she reached for the pocket knife she had in her pocket.

"We won't give up Skylar," the oldest daughter stood behind her sibling in defense, constraining her hand inside her pocket to keep her from drawing the weapon, "where is Nichole?"

"I will despurse this information as soon as I have the little Madrigal girl," he had suddenly grabbed the preteen's ear and forcfully yanked her to his side.

As expected, she twisted and fought, now clutching her knife. He just chuckled at her thrashing until he heard fabric rip and felt something wet run down his thigh and leg. She'd drawn the knife and stabbed him in the outter thigh, and he didn't take too kindly to this.

"Keep this up..." he gasped, clutching his wound, "you'll never see your sister again."

"We will find her," the youngest of the trio put back her knife, her eyes still crackling with dangerous light, "Vesper"

He gave them that crooked, sly smile before rising shakily, disappearing among the crowd of people. Before his daughters could give chase, the grown Madrigal took their shoulders firmly, yet gently.

"Let him go for now," his eyes were stony, which was far more dangerous than Skylar's flashing eyes, "we'll catch up to him and make better sweet revenge."

* * *

><p>Nichole, being the middle child, had her benfits. She had the cunning slyness of her eldest sister, as well as the planning style that rarely failed, but at the same time, she had the innocent, childish eyes and face as her youngest sis.<p>

She acted like she was scared half out of wits as he returned, instantly going to the bathroom to patch up a wound on his leg. She smirked behind his back, unable to help it. She knew he'd gone to set her family up for a trap, but, as she'd known, they'd somehow gotten their point across they weren't scared of him...even if he _was _a Vesper.

"Looks like you'll be hanging with me a little longer," he'd quickly regained his compusure...or whatever he called it.

"O...okay..." she cowered back, and he took her chin in his fingers, completley falling for her tricks.

"Don't ya' worry now," he smiled almost humanly, "I won't hurt ya'."

"Y...yes..." she shrank back and hid her face, and he eventually left her be.

Sighing softly to herself when she heard his snoring in the next room, she laid on the bed and let a few tears go. She needed to DJ to have her back, and she was so worried for Skylar's safety. Frowning deeper, she cried herself out.

* * *

><p>Natalie lifted her head out of the toliet bowl and sank back, face pressed the cold tile of the bathroom walls. She finally blinked the moisture out of her eyes, feeling her huge stomach. She reached for the phone to call Dan once again, but a hand stopped her.<p>

"Listen to me," a voice spoke quickly in her ear, "you are going to quiet and you're going put that phone down the drain, got it?"

The voice was female, and the women obeyed shakily. shuddering violently and feeling her stomach reverse again as she held down the handle.


	7. We ARE family

Protection 7

Author Note: Keep in mind, folks...I like reviews. ;D

* * *

><p>DJ fingered her Skylar's palm as they sat awake in the hotel room. Somehow, Dan had managed to find sleep and was now snoring in his bed, but the two sisters weren't so lucky.<p>

"I'm scared for Nichole," Skylar's voice was now soft and shaky, and the fourteen year old kissed the top of her head.

"We're going to figure this out," she rocked her sibling gently, "I promise you, we will."

The preteen nodded and rested heavily on her oldest sister, eyes fluttering shut. DJ sighed softly, laying her down on the bed and walking slowly onto the city streets. The rain was light, and she knew she'd be soaking wet before she got back, but at the moment, she could really care less. She took off running to the forest.

* * *

><p>"Where am I?" Natalie demanded to her captator. She could smell wood and paint, as if they were in a workshop, but she was sitting on something soft, like a bed.<p>

Slowly, her blindfold was removed, and she squinted against the light. She was in the garage, she decided by the paint and oil cans, but she was indeed on a bed. Blinking in confusion, she finally got a good look at her captator.

It didn't take her but a minute to realize who she was.

"Reagon?"

* * *

><p>"'Bout time you showed up," she smiled, kissing his cheek and wrapping her arms around his neck.<p>

"You're one to talk," she stuck out her tongue playfully, "it took you forever to call me."

"I was worried," he mumured softly into her ear, running his fingers through her beautiful hair, "it feels like forever since I saw you last."

"Only two weeks..." but it _did _feel like it to the two lovers, "Aaron...don't you let me go."

"I will never," he pressed her against his body, and she started the kiss.

* * *

><p>"That's my name," she rolled her eyes, "sorry I had to be so...pushy." Natalie never imiganed her saying these words...<em>ever<em>.

"Why is that?" as she spook, she noticed there was not only a bed in the _garage_, but there was also a sink, personal products, and even a little TV.

"You're pregnant, stupid," and there was the Reagan she knew, "anyway, I heard about the Boy and the two girls goin' up to Paris. Well, in the meantime, somebody's got to deliever your daughter."

"You...?" she couldn't believe her ears, "why are you going to help me?"

* * *

><p>His phone ringing broke them from the kiss. Panting softly, he opened it up and put it to his ear.<p>

"Hello?"

He was silent for a minute, then started to slowly nod, "Yes, I'm okay..I'm with Uncle Dan right now..." And he froze up, "Hang on a second."

Gulping, he whispered to his lover, "She wants to talk to him!"

Jerking the phone from his grasp, DJ started to talk just like her father, "Hey, Amy...yes, we're all fine...he's still in one piece, isn't he?...no, YOU shut up!"

Aaron couldn't help but giggle at his girlfriend. She was _rockin' _impersonating her father, and she grinned back to him.

"...okay...yeah, yeah, yeah. Bye," when she hung up, both of them burst into laughter.

"She has no idea..." the son of Amy shook his head, "you _rock _at voice imperrisons."

"Yeah, I know," she repeated in a voice that was similar to his, and when they recovered from their laughter, they resumed their making out session.

* * *

><p>"Because I wanted to," she threw her hands up the air, not wanting to explain this, "look, I brought you to my place, didn't I?"<p>

Natalie raised an eyebrow despite herself. She was living in a _garage_? But...where was the rest of her family?

"Long story short," Reagan spoke quickly, like she really hated saying this, "we had a pretty huge blow-up. So now I'm staying here, paying rent to some other family. It'll be fine, okay? Just forget it."

"I will repay you..." the pretty girl had never got along her, but now...

"I said forget it," she knelt down in front of her, "besides...we _are _family."


	8. Heartaches

Protection

"Ohhhh...man..." Natalie groaned loudly, reaching to clutch her stomach and getting her hands smacked instead by a angry Reagon.

"Just push, idiot!" she hissed, and the older girl titled her head back, pushing with all her worth when she was in such agony.

* * *

><p>DJ was both shocked and horrified when he saw Skylar awake when she returned. And she was even more so of both when her little sister shoved her into the bathroom, locking the door behind them.<p>

"Who were you with?" her voice was whispered, low and urgent sounding.

"Nobody. I was just walking," the lie might of worked on her parents, but unlike them, much to her displeasure, the younger girl was smarter than that now.

"What's his name?" she demanded, and the older sighed.

"Aaden. He...he's a Holt,"

* * *

><p>"Oh..." Natalie was finally feeling relief after about two hours of torture and blood-loss, and Reagon smirked a bit.<p>

"Well, let's see what kind of creature you purged," and that's when her face paled, "uh...dude...I think there's another one in there."

The older girl moaned and continued to push.

* * *

><p>"A HOLT?"<p>

"Shut up!" DJ slapped her hand over her mouth, "I know it's kind of forbidden...but please don't say anything? Please?"

Her eyes were pleading so hard...Skylar finally had to cave in to the begs...even if it was weak.

* * *

><p>"...is it over?" since she almost passed out about halfway through the second birth, she was doing what she doing what her cousin Amy was best at: Worrying.<p>

"Yeah, I'd have to say so," impressivley enough, the room didn't look like Natalie had just given birth in it.

"Let me...see what I purged, huh?" the girl shakily lifted herself and could only smile.

* * *

><p>"You're going to break up with him, right?" the younger inquired to her sister, and the blonde bit her lower lip.<p>

"I...I don't think I can..."

Skylar sighed, "You know, I really wish you didn't have to say that..."

* * *

><p>He was running for his life. He glanced behind him once, but that proved fatal. The knife drove into his back, right under his left shoulder blade, and he went tumbling.<p>

"Really? The Lucian girl?" Danger barked and hissed in his ear, touching the bloodied knife to his neck, "I will kill you now, you little traitor."

"Please..." he croaked, "I'll break her heart...anything! I have to l-live..."

"You better," she snorted, slowly rising from him, "until then...enjoy the blood loss."

The knife drove into his stomach and stayed there.


	9. Fearful knowledge

Protection 9

Author Note: Sorry about the mistake on the last chapter...it WAS Natalie who gave birth, not Amy *Blush* Awkward...but I fixed it :)

* * *

><p>Natalie wished more than ever that somehow, someway, Dan could be there to see their two new children she was now cradling in her arms.<p>

There was a boy and a girl, and in her and Reagan's eyes, they were absoultely beautiful. The baby boy had dark brown hair like Dan, and when his eyes opened to the light of the world, she discovered they were the same color of her own, which made her smile. Even though he looked just his father, at least they shared something. The baby girl had light brunette hair like herself, and she shared her mother's eyes as well. Natalie only cooed as their beautiful eyes darted around the room, having already finished crying and been cleaned off.

"Not bad, cuz," Reagon teased lightly, and the older girl could only roll her eyes and smile.

"Thank you," if only Dan and her daughters were there too...

* * *

><p>Aaron was in agony.<p>

He let out a small cry of pain from his throat as he wrapped his shaking fingers around the knife handle. He knew that, if he was going to have a chance of surrving this deep wound, he had to get the blade out of his stomach. But the anticapation of agony and blood less that was result from removing it made him shaky and was convincing him to just leave it there.

But he knew he had to do it, anyway.

"For DJ..." he coached himself, beginning to pull out the knife and crying out again, not able to contain the sound of agony.

* * *

><p>DJ stared out of the window as the sun rose over Paris, her chin resting on her arms as tears leaked from eyes. It was so beautiful in the place...and it painfully reminded her that this was the city of love.<p>

And she was going to have to let her love go.

_Well...technically, he's family..._but that thought didn't do much justice to ease the burden weighing on her heart, especially because that reminded her of her parents, who were also technically family.

'Love doesn't care about technically,' Dan had claimed to her once when she was younger, since she was curious to why he married her mother, 'love only careas about the person who've you've sold your heart and soul too.'

She'd sold her heart and soul to Aaden already. She knew it was forbidden, she always knew it was kind of wrong, but love was love. And love only cared about love. Not technicalality, not family relations, not what the other people thought of it...

And it didn't care about the danger it brung.

* * *

><p>Nichole's eyes snapped open.<p>

_How long have I been asleep?_ she thought frantically, sitting up with her eyes darting and straining against the darkenss of the room.

"Ah, finally," her captator, the Vester, chuckled a little, like it was funny that she'd woken, "I thought you'd done something to knock yourself out or something."

"How long?" she asked, struggling to keep the fearful act up but failing because of the fire of rage and detirmanation to escape burning deep within her soul and gut.

"Almost two days," that certainly explained her hunger and severe thirst, "I got you some food."

But as much as her body begged her too, she wouldn't touch the tray of food and water in front of her.

* * *

><p>Dan was very alarmed when his wife didn't pick up the phone. In fact, the operator told him that the number had been disconnected, which made him begin to minorly freak out.<p>

_What's going on, Nat? _he thought as he pulled on his clothes, pulling his hands through his tangled hair and mind racing as he tried to figure out what he had to do.

It was very, very important to get Nichole back, but who was to say she was being kept here? And it was also very important for him to contact Natalie and find out if she was okay, and to find out if their baby was safe or if it was born yet. It was dangerous to leave Paris, but it was just as dangerous not too.

So what was he to do?

* * *

><p>Her father was stressed.<p>

Even eleven-year-old Skylar could see that.

"Deej...I think Dad's freaking out about Nichole," she whispered in her older sister's ear, and the older girl nodded in agreement, studying her father's face as he pulled on his shoes.

"So do I...and about Mom," DJ muttered, and that's when the younger noticed the pain and worry within her own eyes.

"We'll find her," she said softly for encouragment, but even she knew that, just like with her father, her sister was stressing out about her love...

* * *

><p>"Thank you, God..." Aaden sighed loudly as he finally removed the weapon, feeling blood all over his body and it still streaming freely. Black and white dots were blurring his vision and thoughts, and he allowed himself to collaspe back, gripping the weapon weakly in hands.<p>

Even if he hated that thing, at least it was a weapon.

* * *

><p>"You know you probably need to talk to him," Reagon found herself missing her own family as she mentioned her cousins.<p>

She missed her sister and her parents, even if they were kind of insane. They were still her closest family, considering she'd grown up around them for all these years and stuck with them, just like her twin. But the fact was is that she was different from them, which they didn't really appricate.

Patiticurly Madison...

* * *

><p>Dan had finally reached a decision.<p>

"Now," he bent down just a little to his older daughter, "you have to keep Sky safe, no matter it takes. And you have to live as well. Don't try to fight the Vespers, just run and call me. You know my number...you can't die or forget our mission."

"I know, Dad," she nodded once with slightly wet eyes, and hugged her tightly.

"I love you, DJ," he mumured in her shoulder, and she returned the hug just as tight, hiding her eyes in shoulder for a minute and returning the assurance she loved him too.

* * *

><p>She had the feeling her father was making a mistake by the leaving her and DJ alone, but she didn't say so as he walked out doors.<p>

DJ was only fourteen, and she was only eleven. They honestly couldn't fight the Vespers without dying or, at best, getting captured like Nichole had been. They were at high risk by themselves, and she had a feeling they'd end up running for their lives before he returned. Even if he was only going to be gone a couple of days, that was a couple of days too long.

He knew what he was doing for protection.

And with Aaden so heavy on her mind, Skylar knew that DJ no longer did herself.

* * *

><p>Nichole was now truly scared.<p>

The Vesper was coming closer to her, since she verbally denied eating or drinking anything from him. She was concerned, and she knew he was stronger, bigger, and very dangerous because of her family and her acid tongue.

_Guys..._she pleaded in her head as he pinned her to the wall sharply, _Mom, Dad, DJ, Skylar...where are you?_


	10. Living Nightmares

Protection 10

DJ's eyes were misty as she stared across the horizon.

She knew they needed to stay inside the hotel. She knew it was up to her solely to protect her younger sister. She knew that everything was suddenly weighing on her shoulders, and that she had to do the right thing now more than ever.

But she missed Aaron.

* * *

><p>Skylar knew that it was more up to her than it was to her older sister.<p>

She was only only eleven years old, which really wasn't that old. She was still a kid who probably deserved better than what was now happening, but she also knew she had her head on straighter than her oldest sister did. All because she met that Holt, her heart was breaking and clouding her brain with thoughts of love and sorrow, and not keeping her on the mission at hand.

_I hope she still remembers Nichole..._she thought as she went down the stairs to get some breakfast.

The only thing that didn't make sense to the young girl is that she'd obviously known this Aaron guy for quite some time, but it was now becoming an issue. Maybe because she'd been found out, or maybe because they were in the so-called City of Love.

Whatever the reason, she knew that DJ wasn't going to work right if they didn't find Aaron.

Sigh.

* * *

><p>"Oh my gosh..." he'd finally managed to get the knife out, and the bleeding had mostly stopped at this point, so getting up was his new problem.<p>

If he so much as lfited his shoulders an inch, white lights blinded his eyes and made him collaspe back against the pavement. Numbly, he wondered if there was any way he could call for help.

But really, who could he call?

Being a Holt, he was obviously on the agressive side, which made him become on the bad side with the law pretty fast. Even if he was in France, he'd been branded as a dangerous teenage boy on the loose. It was true he'd done some jail time, and even when he'd been releashed, he still got in fights frequently and ran from the cops constantly. He'd done drugs for a while until his father beat him, screaming about how it was destroying body, and then he'd started to smoke, having full intentions of killing himself and ending the torture.

Now his father was gone, and he was left with his sisters, which wasn't better.

They were the picture of their father, all sadistic and all out for blood. They wanted the Clue formula their father was always so detirmined to complete, and he remembered him up at nights, furious and racking his brain, cursing about how the formula couldn't have been completed.

Aaron still had no idea what he meant, but he did know what the 39 clues were. He knew what formula was.

And he knew that his girlfriend was the daughter of the two Madrigals who destroyed the evidence, but her father still had in his photographic memory. He knew his sisters were going to do take the most extreme measures nessacary to get it, and then to make and complete it for their father's sake. He knew he had to stop them before they killed everybody, then destroyed the world, just like that crazy Lucian lady tried to years before.

But he also know that, to do all of that, he was going to have to get up.

* * *

><p>"Two Lucians and a Madrigal," Danger mutter to herself as she sat at the wide, polished wooden table that contributed to their home's moderny feel, "what a combination."<p>

"It doesn't make sense!" Heartlie hissed from where she was already sitting at said table, banging her fist against the wood and making a crack sound, "they're from the same parents! It's not possible!"

"Natalie Cahill is a Lucian, and Daniel is a Madrigal," Night mutter, her thought spread across her face, "but wouldn't they have the same family-sectioned children?"

"Unless..." it suddenly hit the said leader the trio of sisters as she stood up, a sadistic smirk spreading across her face, "Natalie had an affrair with another."

* * *

><p>Dan was gripping the wheel as hard as he could without completely snapped both of his fingers as well as the wheel inself.<p>

This entire time, he'd been going above the speed limit, being careful to stay out of the public as much as possible. He could faster on the countryside, and besides, that's where the airport was. Sweat beaded his forehead as adrenline coursed through him, making him slam on the petal that much harder .

_Natalie..._ever since that fateful day with her mother shooting her foot and making the formula, he'd always a dying urge to keep her safe, no matter what.

She always answered her phone.

_Always. _

But now the call was disconnected once again, and he threw the phone into the passenger seat. He was trembling as he struggled to keep his breathing steady, to keep his head as clear as he could.

He could only pray silently she was still alive.

* * *

><p>Natalie was honestly <em>going <em>to call her husband.

But for the time, she was a little busy with the twins. Being a mother of three, she knew pretty much how to handle them, but it was crazy. Dan had always been there to help her now, to change diapers or to feed a crying baby while she rested.

Twins babies when your alone, she quickly discovered, was a living nightmare.

At Reagan was trying to help.

* * *

><p>Nichole was still alive.<p>

That was the good part.

The not so good part was that she was laying broken on the floor.

She couldn't believe what that Vesper had done to her. She was shuddered and covered in blood, and her hair was tangled up. She didn't care she looked horrible now, or if anyone came in and saw her like this. Actually, she prefer that, if someone just took her away from the world of pain she'd just experinced. The Vesper was out for gas, telling her they would be moving locations very soon.

She guessed he figured someone heard her screams in the night.

* * *

><p>"Who could she have possibly had an affair with?" Night inquired first, smirking just as wide as the 'leader' triplet.<p>

"Well, whoever it was was obviously a Madrigal as well," Danger replied, and yet, Heartlie still looked terribly confused, trying to wrap her mind around what her sisters were saying.

"Wait. Couldn't have have been Daniel? It could've happened," she pointed out, and her leader rolled her eyes.

"Of course not. If Daniel helped make two Lucian children, he wouldn't randomly make a Madrigal. However, another Madgrigal on the other hand..." she explained, and Heartlie broke into the same smirk her sisters wore.

"In the case..." she conituned, "why don't we pay Natalie a little visit?"

* * *

><p>Reagan simply could not shake the feeling they were being watched.<p>

But then again, how could they?

She'd already checked all of her bags to make sure that they weren't bugged, since she knew her family's ways very well. After destroying the chip instantled at the bottom of suitcase and throughly insepcted the rest of her belongings, even though they weren't much, she'd been set at ease of staying hidden from the media and from most people in genral.

But now that she was with her cousin, that ease of being unsurvalenced was gone.

* * *

><p>Skylar looked to the man who reached for the banana in the basket the same time she did.<p>

There was something about his shadowed eyes that made her suspicious. He looked average enough, with a blue shirt and khakis that showed at the hotel. His hair was black and short-cut, and his a round muffintop that hung out of his belt a little. The second he met her eyes, he looked away and took a step back.

"_S'il vous plaît, maquer,_" he told her politely, but she arched an eyebrow as she took the fruit.

"_Merci,_" she replied, having been fluent in French since taking online courses for different languages, thanks to her mother, "_Bonne journée, monsieur. Avons-nous déjà rencontrés?_"

"_Je ne crois pas avoir. Était aujourd'hui d'être votre dernier jour à Paris, ou étiez-vous l'intention de payer pour une autre nuit?" _he inquired, holding out his hand, obviously expecting some pay.

"_Comment savez-vous que nous devons payer pour une autre nuit?" _she demanded, and the unsettled feeling roared alive in her gut, making her body tense and her eyes open wide to the big picture that surronded her.

"_Je vous ai observé, Skylar Cahill. J'ai bien peur de devoir vous demander de venir avec moi," _he suddenly grabbed her arm, and she jerked free easily, kicking up to catch him between the legs before running for her life.

* * *

><p>Something was wrong.<p>

Surely her family would be there by now. Surely they would be looking for her, and surely they would've caught on by now. But these things were only if something hadn't gone wrong.

So something was wrong.

But as she was trembling for her fear, her chill, and her memories of the previous night, she saw that the Vesper had left his cell phone on the bedside table. Shakily, she got to her feet and wrapping her blood-soaked fingers around it. She breathed, knowing this was only going to complicate things further, but knowing this was probably her only chance of making it out alive.

"_Bonjour. Vous avez atteint la station de police de Paris. Quelle est votre urgence?_" a voice inquired from the other end, and she choked back a sob of relief.

"_Bonjour. Mon nom est Nichole Cahill, et j'ai été kidnappé et sexuellement assalted ..." _

* * *

><p>Author Note: For those of you who do not, speak French, this is your translations :)<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>"Please, miss," <strong>_

_**"Thank you. Pleasent day, sir. Have we met before?" **_

_**"I don't believe we have. Will this be your last day in Paris, and do you need to pay for another night?"**_

_**"How do you know that we need to pay for another night?" **_

_**"I've been watching you, Skylar Cahill. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come with me." **_

* * *

><p><strong><em>"Hello. You have reached the Paris police station. What is your emergancy?" <em>**

**_"Hello. My name is Nichole Cahill, and I have been kidanpped and sexually assulatted..."_**


End file.
